Post by: Trapper John on February 18, 2017, 07:00:01 PM
Has anybody heard anything if there is going to be a season for them yet?
JC
Post by: HntnFsh on February 21, 2017, 05:44:17 PM
Post by: nontypical176 on February 21, 2017, 06:43:25 PM
Post by: HntnFsh on February 21, 2017, 07:21:47 PM
Post by: Blacklab on February 21, 2017, 08:23:11 PM
I know exactly where your talking about. Very generous offer! :tup::yeah:
;)
Post by: shadowless_nite on February 21, 2017, 09:57:52 PM
The Columbia is loaded with fish. My parents been watching huge schools of birds and sea lions for the last week down by cathlamet. Seems like the cold water pushed the fish back out into the ocean for a while but they are heading for some smaller river any time. Hope they hit the cowlitz hard. My property is on Cowlitz gardens rd in north Kelso. I own the most northern lot on that rd which is the corner called Rocky point. My property is cotton woods and has a shed. All members here are welcome to come give it a shot, I'll be there all day monitoring chaos. If I know your from this site I can let you park down on my property, I keep it off limits to other vehicles, just make them park on the road. My property has traditionally been a hot spot and everyone limited last time. I let all comers fish there respectfully, just limit parking on my property to friends, neighbors and I suppose if members from here can get my attention or figure out witch goon I am, I will let them have access to prized parking spots also. Really the big limiting factor for my fishing spot....parking. Good luck Fishers!
Pm inbound!!!!
Post by: Jason on February 21, 2017, 10:06:37 PM
on Cowlitz River
VANCOUVER, Wash. – State fishery managers approved a limited sport fishery for smelt on the Cowlitz River for Saturday, Feb. 25.
Under this year's rules, a portion of the Cowlitz River will be open to recreational dip netting along the shore from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. for one day only.
The area open to sport dipping stretches from the Highway 432 Bridge upstream to the Al Helenberg Memorial Boat Ramp, located approximately 1,300 feet upstream from the Highway 411/A Street Bridge in Castle Rock.
Each dip-netter may retain 10 pounds of smelt per day, with no more than one day's limit in possession. Ten pounds is about a quarter of a five-gallon bucket. No fishing license is required to dip for smelt in Washington state.
This marks the fourth year that the state has allowed smelt fishing since 2010, when the species – also known as eulachon – was listed as threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) along the Pacific Coast.
NOAA Fisheries, which oversees ESA-listed stocks, supports limited fisheries that contribute to research, said Cindy Le Fleur, regional fish program manager for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.
"We're expecting a modest return of about 3 million pounds of smelt to the Columbia River this year," Le Fleur said. "That compares to an estimated 16.6 million pounds in 2014, when the run reached its recent peak."
The sport fishery was also limited to one day in 2016, when the run was estimated at 5.1 million pounds. Le Fleur said these fisheries have a limited impact on the overall smelt return, while providing biological data on the species' abundance.
Le Fleur said WDFW announced the decision to open this year's sport fishery after tracking catch rates in the ongoing commercial test fishery in the mainstem Columbia River. Managers were looking for weekly average landings to reach at least 150 pounds per fisher to feel confident that the run was likely as large as anticipated pre-season she said, noting that last week's landings averaged 281 pounds per fisher.
Post by: Firedogg on February 21, 2017, 10:13:30 PM
Post by: nontypical176 on February 22, 2017, 06:16:44 PM
Post by: Ripper on February 23, 2017, 11:22:26 AM
Post by: WAPatriot on February 23, 2017, 12:28:09 PM
Post by: Ghost Hunter on February 23, 2017, 04:19:41 PM
Post by: tritt007 on February 23, 2017, 04:32:29 PM
Post by: Lucky1 on February 23, 2017, 05:13:35 PM
Post by: nontypical176 on February 23, 2017, 10:59:10 PM
Post by: pcal on February 24, 2017, 08:22:13 AM
Post by: shadowless_nite on February 24, 2017, 11:09:33 AM
Ill be a driving a big white toyota landcruiser, hard to miss if you see me holler! Asian guy with glasses, beard and man bun
Post by: WAPatriot on February 25, 2017, 08:12:30 AM
Post by: pens fan on February 25, 2017, 08:24:01 AM
Post by: WAPatriot on February 25, 2017, 10:14:01 AM
Post by: WAcoueshunter on February 25, 2017, 10:23:07 AM
Post by: shadowless_nite on February 25, 2017, 10:25:13 AM
Post by: WAcoueshunter on February 25, 2017, 10:27:15 AM
Post by: shadowless_nite on February 25, 2017, 10:36:07 AM
Just caught one!
Lucky day! Don't forget to buy a lottery ticket on the way home!
Post by: WAcoueshunter on February 25, 2017, 10:54:35 AM
Post by: WAPatriot on February 25, 2017, 11:23:30 AM
Post by: WAcoueshunter on February 25, 2017, 11:31:38 AM
Post by: WAPatriot on February 25, 2017, 11:43:12 AM
Post by: HUNTINCOUPLE on February 25, 2017, 01:11:34 PM
No kidding. Have three now. At least it's a nice day.
Boy if this were a smelt dipping tournament? I think you just won the whole pot of monies!!!! :IBCOOL: We showed up to the gracious nontypicals place and didn't even deploy the net. Always good to chat with a couple members. We did cruise over and around through Rainier and check out all the free loaders on the marina dock. The kiddos liked watching them bark and lay on each other. Should have brought the slingshoots and ball bearings. :chuckle:
Post by: Bullkllr on February 25, 2017, 01:37:44 PM
3 is the most I've heard of anyone getting today
3 is the new possession limit. At least there was "opportunity".
Kinda funny that in the old days no license was needed because there were so many. Now, no license is needed because there aren't any. I'm still shocked the opened it.
Post by: Ghost Hunter on February 25, 2017, 03:54:44 PM
Post by: WAcoueshunter on February 25, 2017, 05:19:27 PM
I too am surprised they opened it. Better to not open at all than to send a few thousand home disappointed. :dunno:
Post by: nontypical176 on February 25, 2017, 05:48:04 PM
Post by: mdbuck5x5 on February 25, 2017, 05:53:05 PM
Post by: WAPatriot on February 25, 2017, 10:58:23 PM
Post by: bullfisher on February 25, 2017, 11:36:20 PM
Post by: Ridgeratt on February 26, 2017, 07:14:31 AM
Thousands go home empty-handed after one-day smelt fishery
LONGVIEW, Wash. (AP) - Washington state's Department of Fish and Wildlife opened up a highly anticipated one-day season for smelt fishing on the lower Cowlitz River - but maybe no one told the smelt.
Thousands of people turned out with dip-nets in hand Saturday morning, but when the five-hour fishery ended, most everyone went home with empty buckets. The Columbian newspaper reports (https://goo.gl/62Fc0A ) that at most locations checked, the catch was zero. The top dipper at one boat ramp had a whopping two smelt.
The small, silvery fish were listed as threatened in 2010. Saturday's short season was intended to serve as research fishery, but also to keep a minimal connection between the public and once-plentiful species.
The limit was 10 pounds per person, which is about a quarter of a five-gallon bucket.
The decision to open the season came after officials tracked catch rates in a commercial test fishery in the lower Columbia. Landings averaged 281 pounds per commercial fisherman last week.
Post by: BNAElkhntr on February 26, 2017, 07:22:57 AM
Wdfw f'd the weekend warriors again its typical and expected
Its Not Enforcement its The Biologist's you know the ones that think we need Wolves and Grizzlies
Post by: singleshot12 on February 26, 2017, 11:14:50 AM
Joe blow, tax paying fisherman always pays the price for over commercial harvest and miss management. If the smelt count is low enough to squash rec fishing then nobody should be making off these fish. I see commercial fishermen were allowed 60,000 pounds of smelt this year but we were allowed baisically zero. The state manages fishermen not fish, and they don't even do that right. How's that sturgeon population coming along? Fish eat fish remember? I see the commercials managed to buy themselves a decent salmon quota again this year wonder what we'll get. Can we start reducing some sea lions yet? Ok sorry rant over :hello:
:yeah: Only in Washington! And they still wonder why we complain and have had enough :rolleyes:
Post by: Trapper John on February 26, 2017, 04:29:13 PM
I was reading your guys report on my way down, it didn't sound good.
So I took a right turn onto 101 in Olympia and went to Ocean Shores and picked up my limit of Razor Clams.
Razor Clams ........ its whats for dinner tonight.
JC :hello:
Post by: HUNTINCOUPLE on February 26, 2017, 08:13:26 PM
Post by: Lucky1 on February 26, 2017, 08:18:10 PM
Post by: bigtex on February 26, 2017, 08:19:14 PM
I was thinking today that the 5 hour season was strictly a money grab. They knew that they would sell some more licenses and I didn't not think the season had much to do with managing the resource. :twocents:You don't need a license for smelt......
Post by: Lucky1 on February 26, 2017, 08:24:32 PM
Cool. Thanks for that info. I would have made sure I had my license with me if I went. Anything else we can do with out a license?I was thinking today that the 5 hour season was strictly a money grab. They knew that they would sell some more licenses and I didn't not think the season had much to do with managing the resource. :twocents:You don't need a license for smelt......
Post by: HUNTINCOUPLE on February 26, 2017, 08:26:31 PM
I was thinking today that the 5 hour season was strictly a money grab. They knew that they would sell some more licenses and I didn't not think the season had much to do with managing the resource. :twocents:
As Big Tex said no license to dip smelt. It's gotta be the classic move of give the sporties an opener and the commercials get plenty. But again I hope I'm really wrong on this. :dunno:
Post by: bigtex on February 26, 2017, 08:32:02 PM
Carp, crawdads, and bullfrogs.Cool. Thanks for that info. I would have made sure I had my license with me if I went. Anything else we can do with out a license?I was thinking today that the 5 hour season was strictly a money grab. They knew that they would sell some more licenses and I didn't not think the season had much to do with managing the resource. :twocents:You don't need a license for smelt......
FYI, WDFW is trying to get the smelt exemption removed. It wont happen this "season" but it will happen eventually.